Will Howard is finally about to get his first taste of NFL game action, and for the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback, Thursday night has been a long time coming.
The Steelers open their preseason against the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium, with kickoff set for 7:00 PM. For Pittsburgh, it’s the first live-game action of the year. For Howard, it’s something even bigger: his long-delayed debut after a lost 2025 season.
Howard, the former sixth-round pick out of Ohio State, didn’t play at all last year - not in the preseason, not in the regular season - after suffering a hand injury in training camp. That makes this week’s opener more than just a tune-up. It’s the moment he’s been waiting on.
“I’m so fired up,” Howard told the media on Monday. “I can’t wait for the game, but obviously I’m trying to take it day by day.
It’s still camp. But, you know, sometimes you can’t help but look forward a little bit and start getting excited just to be out there in live game reps.”
Thursday will be Howard’s first game since January, 2025, when he led Ohio State to the National Championship. That means a 19 month gap from his last collegiate snap to his first NFL play.
“I’ve been chomping at the bit for a while to get out there with the guys in real game-like settings. Put the uniform on, put the helmet on. I just can’t wait.”
Howard also knows exactly what this moment means beyond the excitement. This is his first NFL game, yes, but it’s also a chance to make a case for himself.
“I know everyone says preseason isn’t real football, Howard said. ”But to me it is.”
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